The SYNTHOPHONE is an
actual alto saxophone that has been
"enhanced"with
internal electronics
to send MIDI data to synthesizers and computers.

The instrument feels and plays like a real saxophone.
It is also capable of producing some amazing effects.

" The
real-time flexibility
of Synthophone harmony is unmatched
in
any other harmonizer ever created. " -- robosax

The MIDI format of the SYNTHOPHONE allows you to
choose from a large selection of synthesizers.
Play into sequencers
and even use notation programs
that will turn your music into written parts.

With
"special fingerings" it is possible to leave your synthesizers backstage, since you can select
your sounds and their ideal
performance parameters directly from the instrument.

The design of the
Synthophone goes back to the "pre-MIDI
times" of 1981,
where the first
prototype (a wood-stick with Boehm-like keys)
was designed by
Martin Hurni.

It
was connected to a dedicated analog
synthesizer system.
This
first stage of Synthophone was followed by a
REAL alto sax
with keys connected to a
switching system to give a more
realistic playing feel.

At
the
ARS ELECTRONICA
1984 contest, the first prize was given
to the design
of the Synthophone for it's "most original and future-oriented development
in the field of electronic sound production."

At about the same time, MIDI was to become a standard, and so the
next prototype
was MIDI-equipped, although a separate hardware unit
was still necessary to
convert a sax into a MlDl windcontroller.

A later model was then self-contained. A processor was put into
the bell of the sax.
This new SYNTHOPHONE was built in late 1986
and then refined to be
produced by SOFTWIND INSTRUMENTS.

The instrument of today is a fully equipped MIDI
wind-controller,
which connects to any modern MIDI synth or computer.

Recently,
3
new featureswere implemented as a software update
and further developments may be added as new ideas come along.

All
new software features can be added through a simple
chip (EPROM) exchange
which can be done yourself.